The Hindu : CM for joint effort to develop city

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 04, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

CM for joint effort to develop city

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 3. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, today called for a collective effort for the development of the capital city by improving basic infrastructure and upgrading key sectors like health, higher education, tourism and information technology.

Speaking after inaugurating the Capital Region Development Programme launched by the Government, he exhorted local bodies, NGOs, people's representatives, political parties and residents associations to join hands for the success of the integrated scheme.

The function witnessed a war of words between the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, and UDF leaders over the tardy progress of the Thiruvananthapuram airport development project and the proposal to construct a trans-shipment container terminal at Vizhinjam.

In his address, Mr. Achuthanandan said successive UDF regimes had neglected the development of the capital city. Countering the charges, Mr. Antony's Cabinet colleagues alleged that the LDF Government had soft-pedalled city development projects.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Antony said the programme would focus on restoring the capital to its past glory by providing good roads, drinking water supply, solid waste management and sewerage.

He hoped the first phase of the programme would be completed in 18 months.

Mr. Antony said the Government was committed to the development of Vizhinjam as a major gateway. He lauded the efforts of residents associations and NGOs in pushing the development needs of the capital to the top of the state's agenda.

The Chief Minister's remark that political intervention was also to blame for the delay in acquiring land for the airport, laid the ground for Mr. Achuthanandan to launch his attack on the UDF.

The Opposition leader said the successive UDF regimes led by K. Karunakaran and Mr. Antony during the 1991-96 period had promoted the Nedumbassery airport in Kochi at the expense of the Thiruvananthapuram international airport.

"The previous LDF Government decided to acquire 24 acres but the project suffered a setback as the UDF regime could not acquire 3 acres," he said. Mr. Achuthanandan also pointed out that the Capital Region Development Programme had not earmarked funds for the construction of a new airport terminal.

He also blamed the UDF Government for not pursuing a project to set up an international convention centre at Aakulam.

Accusing the Opposition leader of selective amnesia, the Finance Minister, K. Sankaranarayanan, said Mr. Achuthanandan had conveniently forgotten to mention the failure of the LDF Government in pursuing development projects for the capital. Pointing out that the airport project was bogged down by litigation, he said 121 plots had been acquired over the last three years.

Mr. Sankaranarayanan said the Government was prepared to provide funds in excess of the budgetary allocation for the development of the capital.

The Local Self-Government Minister, Cherkalam Abdulla, said the Government was seeking an assistance of Rs. 250 crores from the ADB for the capital region.

The Cooperation Minister, M.V. Raghavan, announced that the land acquisition for the airport would be completed in two weeks, following an understanding with the families to be displaced for the project.

The Minister for Public Works, M.K. Muneer, presided over the function. The Water Resource Minister, T.M. Jacob, the Information Minister, M.M. Hassan, the Food Minister, G. Karthikeyan, the Mayor, J. Chandra, MLAs, the Additional Chief Secretary, Babu Jacob, and the TRIDA chairman, P.K. Venugopal, were among those present.

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